Born in 1949 in Nauders, Austria, Ernst Hairer established a career defined by extensive contributions to numerical analysis. A long-term faculty member at the University of Geneva, he has shaped the field through both his research and collaborative textbooks, focusing on the rigorous mathematical foundations that underpin scientific computing and differential equations.
Academic Foundation
Hairer completed his formal academic training in his home country, earning his doctorate from the University of Innsbruck. This education served as the springboard for his professional tenure at the University of Geneva. Over several decades, his research agenda has focused on numerical analysis, a sub-field of mathematics concerned with algorithms that use numerical approximation for the problems of mathematical analysis.
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Collaboration has marked a significant portion of Hairer's professional output. He is a primary author of the text Solving Ordinary Differential Equations, written alongside S.P. Nørsett and Gerhard Wanner. Additionally, he co-authored L'analyse au fil de l'histoire with Wanner. His commitment to the advancement of mathematical discourse extends to his editorial responsibilities, where he has served on the boards for the journals Mathematics of Computation and Journal of Scientific Computing.
Professional Recognition
The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) has acknowledged his work on multiple occasions, first by awarding him the Peter Henrici Prize in 2003, which he shared with Gerhard Wanner. In 2009, he became a Fellow of the society. Beyond these accolades, he holds a doctor honoris causa from the University of Lund. Academic institutions have also celebrated his career milestones; in 2009, the University of Geneva hosted a conference in his honor to mark his 60th birthday, and the 7th International Conference in Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics in Crete was also dedicated to him. During the 2009-2010 academic year, he served as a John-von-Neumann guest professor at the Technical University of Munich.
Fast facts
- Born: 19 June 1949, Nauders, Austria
- Citizenship: Austria
- Alma Mater: University of Geneva, University of Innsbruck
- Primary Employer: University of Geneva
- Notable Award: Peter Henrici Prize (2003)
- Professional Membership: Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
- Academic Distinction: Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (2009)
Questions readers ask
What is Ernst Hairer's main field of study?
He is a mathematician specialising in numerical analysis.
Which major academic prize did he receive in 2003?
He was awarded the Peter Henrici Prize by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, jointly with Gerhard Wanner.
Achievements
- Peter Henrici Prize — 2003
- Held posts at University of Geneva
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